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China confirmed yesterday that it had offered to dispatch combat troops on a
United Nations peacekeeping mission to Mali, breaking a long-held taboo and
placing unprecedented strain on Beijing’s commitment to its own
“non-intervention” foreign policy.

The dramatic shift, which was rumoured as imminent among UN diplomats in New
York late last month, opens a new chapter in Chinese foreign policy as
Beijing increases its global engagement and recognises a growing need to
protect its expanding interests around the world.

Although the UN peacekeeping office has yet to confirm it will accept China’s
proposal, it represents the first time that